DEHRADUN: The tracking of "some active elements" after monitoring a locked Facebook profile and the dark web for over a month led the internal security wing of Uttarakhand police to help in busting a key module of a global terror outfit -- Hizb-Ut-Tahrir (HUT) -- that was allegedly operating from MP and Telangana.The state police wing had shared the details with their counterparts in Bhopal and other agencies which led to the arrest of 16 suspects, including five from Hyderabad.Sharing some of the details of the covert operation after keeping it under wraps for months, a senior officer, privy to the matter, told TOI on Thursday, "Monitoring began in March when we started closely tracking the use of the term 'HUT' in a chat group on the dark web and a 'locked' (feature which disables persons outside friends' list to view profile activities) Facebook account.

It drew our attention and we gradually intensified our monitoring effort of the Facebook profile and chat platforms." The officer added: "We found that the suspects were not only referring to 'HUT' but also its 'flag' in their chats which included plans to 'violently topple the government of India and establish a caliphate'." ‘Group has network in around 50 countries, banned by 16 nations’In the locked FB profile, there were 20 followers on the friends' list -- 16 of whom were later found to be dedicated members of the outfit.

The group has a network in around 50 countries and is banned by 16 nations," the officer added."After thorough checks and weeks of online surveillance, when we were certain of the suspects' background and dangerous activities, we passed on our inputs to Madhya Pradesh police in April.

They followed it up promptly with their own probe and nabbed 11 suspects from the state in May.

Soon after, police in Telangana picked up five suspects from Hyderabad.

Their names matched with those we were quietly tracking for over a month," the officer further said.Confirming the development, ADGP (law - order), AP Anshuman, said, "When it comes to matters of national security, we often coordinate with our counterparts in other states.

Our main aim is to ensure the safety and security of the country's citizens."Incidentally, the matter is now being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which registered a case against the suspects under the UAPA Act.

It was followed by the arrest of one more person from Hyderabad this month.